Denny’s adds new coffee drinks to summer menu

Denny’s limited-time Red, White and Blue Plate Specials summer menu includes two extensions of its recently introduced coffee line, the company said Wednesday.

Frosty Roast frozen coffee is a cool and creamy drink made with vanilla, coffee and ice, the company said. Iced Coffee is a cold version of the chain’s light and bold diner coffee blends.

Denny’s introduced three new coffee blends — a Signature Diner Roast, Dark Diner Roast and Signature Decaf Roast — in mid-January. The iced and frosted drinks are extensions to the line, said John Dillon, vice president of marketing and product development at Denny’s.

“We’re seeing success with it,” he said of the coffee line. “We’re proud to have two blends in our restaurant…it was the result of two years of research, and two years of working with guests.”

Dillon said Denny’s was the first family-dining chain to launch two coffee blends to cater to specific tastes. The chain plans more line extensions later this year, he said.

The summer menu also features new red-, white- and blue-themed items, such as milkshakes in Strawberry Cheesecake, Lemon Icebox Pie and Blueberry Cheesecake flavors.

The full summer menu is currently available systemwide until July 30.

The marketing of the Red, White and Blue Plate Specials menu aims to celebrate American diner heritage, Dillon said. “What we’ve found is that when consumers and guests hear ‘diner,’ they think craveable food, and they think value,” he said.

Items on the menu are reminiscent of the chain’s 2011 and 2012 summer limited-time “Tour of America” menu Dillon said.

“We’re doing a little bit of a nod to that menu within this one,” he said. “We thought this was a really good time to lean into our American heritage.”

One Tour of America menu item — the Red, White & Blue Pancakes Breakfast — also appears on the 2013 summer menu. It includes blueberry buttermilk pancakes topped with fresh strawberries, cream cheese icing and whipped cream, and is served alongside two eggs, and a choice of bacon or sausage.